Assessment Methodology

SDI analysis, evaluation and selection process

All SDIs throughout Europe were invited to submit their best practice and be part of a fast growing network of SDIs. After an initial evaluation of the applications, a number of promising SDIs has been selected for detailed interviews to provide further information. Each interviewed SDI was evaluated by the national representatives of the eSDI-Net+ project, focusing on the key aspects such as:

Technological, innovative level and originality of the SDI

Implementation and/or readiness for INSPIRE principles

Level of fostering cooperation between different users (proof of visibility and/or user feedback)

Possibility of extension or transfer to other countries and regions

The identification and analysis of good practices was based on the common methodology for the evaluation of SDI solutions developed at the beginning of the project and the recommendations for running the national workshops. The methodology considers the cultural, technical and legal differences in different European countries and provides a common evaluation framework applicable for SDIs in Europe.

Within the SDI analysis and selection process, the assessment criteria list has been continuously revised in order to create a strong evaluation basis for the European SDI Best Practice Awards 2009. For the assessment of the SDIs, the eSDI-Net+ consortium and the Jury gathered information regarding five main criteria.

In the framework of these five major criteria groups, indicators have been defined to obtain detailed information about the SDIs. Each SDI provided answers on altogether 106 questions illustrated in the figure below.

All collected and categorised information about the SDIs was documented in a common SDI Best Practice Database containing the data from all national and regional sub-databases gathered within the SDI analysis process. The public version of the database is available here.

Evaluation criteria and indicators

Five main criteria

32 weighted indicators

SDI "size" (quantity)

6

SDI "quality" (meeting user requirements)?

7

Co-operation and subsidiarity

7

Sustainability

4

Users usability

8

Information to describe an SDI

Sub-national SDI identity card

15 questions

SDI usage assessment

14 questions

Networking people assessment

10 questions

Socio-economic impact analysis

9 questions

Organisational assessment

12 questions

Coping with legal aspects

6 questions

Technical functionalities-facilities-components

28 questions

Geoportal assessment

12 questions

This Website is part of the eSDI-NET+ project, co-funded by the Community programme eContentplus